The smell of warm bread hangs in the air at one of Benoit Castel's patisseries in Paris, where the newly crowned world's best pastry chef was hard at work testing new recipes. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementAt the helm of several establishments in Paris, Castel has never strayed from his motto: "It's all about the product." The pastry chef is "demanding, he has this slightly perfectionist side we're very fond of", said Montbabut, who has been working with him for six years. "These days, I'm as much a cook, a gardener and a baker as I am a pastry chef," he said. "But above all else, I'm a pastry chef."